Canucks pending RFA signs in the KHL
Sportsnet: CSKA of the KHL signed forward Nikolay Goldobin to a two-year contract that won’t kick in until next season.
Goldobin is a pending restricted free agent for the Vancouver Canucks. He only appeared in one game for the Canucks this year, spending most of the season in the AHL. He scored 19 goals with 50 points in 51 games for Utica.
Ferland skating
Rick Dhaliwal: Have been told that Canucks forward Michael Ferland is back skating. Any potential return is still step-by-step.
Maple Leafs re-signed Elynuik
Michael Augello: The Toronto Maple Leafs re-signed forward Hudson Elynuik to a one-year AHL deal.
Jones and Kukan activated
Columbus Blue Jackets: The Blue Jackets have activated defensemen Seth Jones and Dean Kukan from the IR.
Aaron Portzline: Still on the IR for the Blue Jackets are Josh Anderson (shoulder), Brandon Dubinsky (wrist) and Alexandre Texier (back).
Texier should be ready for when training camp opens on July 10th.
Aaron Portzline: Dubinsky’s wrist injury is slow healing. He had been playing through the pain for several years. It is a very complicated joint and arthritis is also an issue.
Seattle team name may not be released until the fall
Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times: Seattle CEO Tod Leiweke said on Tuesday that they continue to work on a team name and logo.
“If you do just one (name), then you’ve left yourself hostage to any sort of challenge,” he said, adding that every name of the thousand or so suggested by fans the past two years had some sort of trademark issue that needed working through. “So we’ve had to do multiple (trade)marks, and that’s about where we are.”
An announcement may not come until the fall due to trademark issues, the pandemic and the protests.
“It’s not the right time,” Leiweke said, adding the team could wait until October. “Vegas did it a year out. We’ve got ample time, and the thing this organization will never be is tone deaf. So we’ve got to pick the right time, and we’ve got to make sure all of our ducks are in a row.”